How to create an annual fundraising plan without feeling overwhelmed

An annual fundraising plan is one of the most effective tools a fundraiser can use to alleviate stress and overwhelm. But if the idea of creating such a plan feels daunting, you might end up avoiding getting started. Fundraising expert Sandy Rees has suggestions to help you overcome five common roadblocks and create a simple and actionable fundraising plan.

Getting started with an annual fundraising plan

If you’re having trouble getting started creating an annual fundraising plan, Sandy says that a helpful first step is to identify the reason why so that you can move past it.

In Sandy’s experience, these five common myths can get in a fundraiser’s way:

• Imposter syndrome: “I have no business doing this.”
• Indecision: “I’m not sure where to start.”
• Perfectionism: “If it can’t be perfect, there’s no point.”
• Rigidity: “Once a plan is in writing, I have to follow it exactly—I’ll be trapped.”
• Inadequacy: “What if it’s not good enough? If the board sees my plan, they might criticize or reject it.”

When it comes to creating a fundraising plan, done is better than perfect.

Sandy has found that a fundraiser with a plan that’s 70 percent done and executed raises more money than a fundraiser who never gets a plan written down to begin with. And remember, a fundraising plan should not be set in stone. It’s a living document that can be modified as needed.

How to create a simple fundraising plan

Sandy has a great and simple approach to help you get started with your plan. Your goal is to create a high-level, one-page calendar to organize your grants, events, newsletters, and appeals by month.

Create a fundraising plan calendar

Start by listing each month and your main fundraising efforts for that time period. Once you’ve done that, refer to your budget and historical data to start collecting and adding numbers to that document, answering these questions:

• How much do you need to raise for the year in total?
• What’s your financial goal for each fundraising effort? (It’s important to base these figures on historical data.)

Keep in mind that just because you’ve done something in the past, it doesn’t mean you have to repeat it in the future. Don’t add fundraising efforts to your plan because they’ve been used before; add them because they’re effective. For example, if an event requires a lot of staff time but falls short of its fundraising goal, that means it may be time to retire it.

Warning: You may think this approach is so simple that you don’t even need to do it, and can just hold the information in your head. This is not correct! Sandy cautions that a plan “in your head is not real.” Keeping things in your head “makes it easy to miss things or let them slide, so they keep falling to the bottom of your priorities.”

Regularly review and modify your plan

Since your fundraising plan is a living document, review it every month and assess your progress so you can course correct before there’s a big problem to address. As you review, Sandy says it’s a good idea to consider:

• What’s been working? Do more of that!
• What’s not working? Is it fixable, or do you need to let it go?

Conclusion

Fundraising expert Sandy Rees finds that when fundraisers create and work their plan, they are pleasantly surprised with the results. And an added bonus is that fundraisers who follow this process build confidence in their own abilities. When they reach the start of a new year, they no longer start with a blank page and a sense of overwhelm. Instead, they can build on their past work and modify their plan to guide them even more effectively going forward.

Check out Sandy’s free one-page template on creating a quick and simple annual fundraising plan.

About Sandy Rees:

Sandy is the Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer at Get Fully Funded where she shows nonprofit leaders how to fully fund their big vision, so they can spend their time changing lives instead of worrying about money. As the founder and host of Fundraising TV, she shows her students how to find ideal donors, connect through authentic messaging, and build relationships that stand the test of time, so that fundraising becomes easy and predictable. Find out more at www.GetFullyFunded.com.